Hepatology Assistant

About the role

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion. The Trust provides services across Royal Victoria Infirmary, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle Dental Hospital, Cramlington Manor Walks, Urgent treatment centres, Newcastle Fertility Centre, Northern Centre for Cancer Care (North Cumbria), Northern Genetics Service, Regent Point in Gosforth and various community sites. This is a full‑time Band 3 Hepatology Assistant post (37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday) on a fixed‑term contract of 18 months, with possible extension subject to NHS England funding and satisfactory probation. You will deliver FibroScan clinics in hospital wards, outpatient departments, partner agencies in Drug and Alcohol Services, and GP practices within the Operational Delivery Network. Full training will be provided; previous healthcare experience is essential. A car driver with access to a vehicle is required. The Trust supports flexible working arrangements where service needs allow.

Responsibilities

• Perform FibroScan procedures on patients referred by the multidisciplinary team, internal and external Hepatology services.
• Prepare equipment, ensure a safe environment, and carry out maintenance including calibration per manufacturer guidelines.
• Explain the procedure to patients and families, obtain verbal consent, and answer questions.
• Communicate abnormal results to referring clinicians for follow‑up management.
• Contribute to quality assurance, audits and improvement activities.
• Support the nursing team: telephone and text patients to confirm appointments, liaise with outreach clinics, coordinate medication collection with Out‑Patient Pharmacy, handle patient queries.
• Document patient information in the e‑Record system and other databases.
• Order regular stock items for the team.
• Assist with outreach events, including dry blood spot sample collection (training provided).
• Perform venepuncture and blood collection as requested, ensuring correct labelling.
• Maintain patient privacy, dignity and confidentiality at all times.

Job Purpose

To be responsible for FibroScanning patients referred by the multidisciplinary team and internal/external Hepatology services, to perform dried blood spot sampling and venepuncture as requested, to ensure correct labelling of blood samples, to abide by Trust policies and procedures, and to maintain patient privacy, dignity and confidentiality while contributing to departmental objectives as part of the multidisciplinary team.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Ability to maintain and improve knowledge, skills and competence to ensure high standards of patient care.
• Ability to carry out routine